Baijiu
Encyclopedia
Baijiu or shaojiu (烧酒) is a Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

 distilled
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...

 alcoholic beverage
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...

. The name baijiu literally means "white liquor," "white alcohol" or "white spirits". Baijiu is often translated as "wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...

" or "white wine". However, it is actually a distilled liquor, generally about 80 to 120 proof
Proof (alcohol)
Alcohol proof is a measure of how much alcohol is contained in an alcoholic beverage. The term was originally used in the United Kingdom and was defined as 7/4 times the alcohol by volume . The UK now uses the abv standard instead of alcohol proof. In the United States, alcoholic proof is defined...

, or 40-60% alcohol by volume (ABV).

Baijiu is a clear drink usually distilled from sorghum
Sorghum
Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...

, although sometimes other grains may be used; baijiu varieties produced in southern China are typically made from glutinous rice
Glutinous rice
Glutinous rice is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, and pearl rice, and pulut) is a...

, while those from northern China are generally made of sorghum, wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...

, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...

, millet
Millet
The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...

, or occasionally Job's tears
Job's Tears
Job's Tears , Coixseed, Tear Grass, adlay, or adlai, is a tall grain-bearing tropical plant of the family Poaceae native to Southeast Asia but elsewhere cultivated in gardens as an annual. It has been naturalized in the southern United States and the New World tropics...

.

Because of its clarity, baijiu can appear similar to several other liquors, but generally has a significantly higher ABV than, for example, vodka
Vodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....

 (35-50%), Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese shōchū
Shochu
is a Japanese distilled beverage. It is typically distilled from barley, sweet potatoes, or rice, though it is sometimes produced from other ingredients such as brown sugar, buckwheat or chestnut. Typically shōchū contains 25% alcohol by volume...

(25%), or Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...

n soju
Soju
Soju is a distilled beverage native to Korea. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though often slightly sweeter due to sugars added in the manufacturing process, and more commonly consumed neat.Most brands of soju are made in South Korea...

(20-45%), and its flavour is distinctive and unique.

History

Chinese wine has over 5000 years history. In the long process of development, it has developed a unique style. It is characterized by double fermented
Fermentation (wine)
The process of fermentation in wine turns grape juice into an alcoholic beverage. During fermentation, yeast interact with sugars in the juice to create ethanol, commonly known as ethyl alcohol, and carbon dioxide...

 semi-solid state fermentation using fungi as main microbial starter for the saccharification and fermentation agent.
This is a typical feature of wines produced in the far east. Chinese Baijiu is mainly brewed with grain except a few kinds using fruit.

In China, Baijiu is generally not viewed as necessity, but has its unique place in social life. One can get a glimpse of Chinese politics, economy, farming, commerce, and culture through the history of baijiu. Baijiu is deeply ingrained into all aspects of Chinese society.

China is a country founded on algriculture, so all political and commercial activities are based on agriculture development. And baijiu, being grain based, firmly attaches itself to agriculture, becoming part of the latter. Prosperity of the wine industry is directly affected by grain harvest of the year. Rulers of various dynasties have used Jiujin (banning baijiu) to regulate baijiu production, thus ensuring sufficient food supply. On the other hand, baijiu industry reflects the rise and fall of agricultural production, providing clues to understand the history of natural disasters and political climate. Han dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...

 sees the introduction of baijiu tax, which quickly become a major source of income for the country. Changes to the baijiu tax also reflects balance of power amongst political forces.

Modern Culture

Chinese people have always celebrated important occasions with alcohol. They will invite their close friends to a drinking session when someone moves in a new house, marries, starts a new business, even when their children get in a good school. In ancient times, soldiers would celebrate by drinking BaiJiu after winning a battle. If a warrior fell in a battle, his fellows would scatter Baijiu on the ground as part of a memorial ceremony. Today, people just play simple finger-guessing
Fingers (drinking game)
Fingers is a drinking game or party game where players guess the number of participating players who will keep their finger on "the cup" at the end of a countdown. A correct guess eliminates the player from the game and ensures they will not have to drink the cup. The last person in the game...

 depends on the volume of drink being consumed. A common phrased exchanged would be, “If we are good friends, then bottoms up; if not, then just take a sip”.

Serving

Chinese traditionally serve baijiu either warm or at room temperature in a small ceramic bottle. They then pour the baijiu into small cups. Baijiu may be purchased as a set of items consisting of bottles of baijiu, a small heater, and four to six small cups. The serving method and containers are similar to those used for sake and soju, though baijiu differs significantly.
Baijiu is generally sold in glass or ceramic bottles and consumed in shot glasses, much like vodka. It is traditional to drink baijiu with food rather than on its own, though the latter is not uncommon.

In 2007, a report in Time magazine mentioned integrating baijiu into cocktails.

Taste

Baijiu has a distinctive smell and taste that is highly valued in Chinese culinary culture. Connoisseurs of the beverage focus especially on its fragrance.

However, a number of accounts, generally from non-Chinese reviewers, comment unfavorably on the taste of baijiu, comparing it with paint thinner
Paint thinner
A paint thinner is a solvent used to thin oil-based paints or clean up after their use, although all such solvents have other uses. Commercially, "paint thinner" is usually a name for mineral spirits.Products used as paint thinners include:*Mineral spirits...

, rubbing alcohol
Rubbing alcohol
Rubbing alcohol, USP / B.P. is a liquid prepared and used primarily for topical application. It is prepared from a special denatured alcohol solution and contains 97.5-100% by volume of pure, concentrated ethanol or isopropyl alcohol...

, and diesel fuel. The typically high ABV of much baijiu is commonly cited by the Chinese as the reason for these impressions.

Pricing

Low grades of baijiu can be quite inexpensive; a bottle of roughly 250 mL (8 Ounces) may be purchased for the same price as a can of beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...

. However, higher grades, which are often aged for many years, can be quite expensive; the highest grade of Wuliangye (五粮液) retails for 26,800 yuan
Chinese yuan
The yuan is the base unit of a number of modern Chinese currencies. The yuan is the primary unit of account of the Renminbi.A yuán is also known colloquially as a kuài . One yuán is divided into 10 jiǎo or colloquially máo...

 (US$3,375).
Some popular varieties of baijiu include Maotai jiu
Maotai
Maotai, or Moutai , is a Chinese liquor, or baijiu.It is produced in the town of Maotai , in the city of Renhuai, Guizhou province, Southwest China. It is believed that the town of Maotai possesses a unique climate and vegetation that contributes to the taste of the drink...

, gaoliang jiu
Kaoliang
Kaoliang jiu is a strong distilled liquor, made from fermented sorghum . It is made and sold in both mainland China and Taiwan, and also popular in Korea, where it is called goryangju...

, erguotou, Luzhou
Luzhou
-History:The history of Luzhou dates back to Xia and Shang Dynasties. Luzhou became a prefecture level city in 1983.-History of Luzhou:...

 Laojiao (Luzhou Old Cellar)
, and Wuliangye.

Classification

Chinese fermented wines, or huangjiu
Huangjiu
Huangjiu is a type of Chinese beverage brewed directly from grains such as rice, millet, or wheat. Unlike baijiu, such liquors are not distilled, and contain less than 20% alcohol, due to the inhibition of fermentation by ethanol at that concentration...

, have a wide variety of classification methods, but baijiu are grouped primarily by their fragrance.
  • "Sauce" fragrance (醬香; pinyin
    Pinyin
    Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...

    : jiàng xiāng): A highly fragrant distilled liquor of bold character. To the Western palate, sauce fragrance baijiu can be quite challenging. It has solvent and barnyard aromas, with the former, in combination with the ethanol in the liquor, imparting a sharp ammonia-like note. It has been described as stinky tofu
    Stinky tofu
    Stinky tofu or chòu dòufu is a form of fermented tofu that has a strong odor. It is a popular snack in East and Southeast Asia, particularly mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong and in East Asian enclaves elsewhere where it is usually found homemade, at night markets or roadside stands, or as a...

     crossed with grappa
    Grappa
    Grappa is an alcoholic beverage, a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin that contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume...

    . To the initiated, it is quite delicious and is considered the perfect complement for fine preserved and pickled foods (醬菜, jìang cài). This class is also referred to as "Mao xiang" (茅香), after the best known wine of this class, Maotai
    Maotai
    Maotai, or Moutai , is a Chinese liquor, or baijiu.It is produced in the town of Maotai , in the city of Renhuai, Guizhou province, Southwest China. It is believed that the town of Maotai possesses a unique climate and vegetation that contributes to the taste of the drink...

    .
  • Heavy/thick fragrance (濃香 or 瀘香; pinyin
    Pinyin
    Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...

    : nóng xiāng or lú xīang): A class of distilled liquor that is sweet tasting, unctuous in texture, and mellow, with a gentle lasting fragrance contributed by the high levels of ester
    Ester
    Esters are chemical compounds derived by reacting an oxoacid with a hydroxyl compound such as an alcohol or phenol. Esters are usually derived from an inorganic acid or organic acid in which at least one -OH group is replaced by an -O-alkyl group, and most commonly from carboxylic acids and...

    s, primarily ethyl acetate
    Ethyl acetate
    Ethyl acetate is the organic compound with the formula CH3COOCH2CH3. This colorless liquid has a characteristic sweet smell and is used in glues, nail polish removers, and cigarettes...

    . Most liquors of this class are made using Aspergillus
    Aspergillus
    Aspergillus is a genus consisting of several hundred mold species found in various climates worldwide. Aspergillus was first catalogued in 1729 by the Italian priest and biologist Pier Antonio Micheli...

    type starters. An example of this type of liquor is Five Grains Liquid (Wuliangye, 五粮液) of Yibin
    Yibin
    -Administrative divisions:-Economy:The city's industry focuses on electronics, food products, and power generation. It also produces paper, silk, and leather products...

    .
  • Light fragrance (清香 or 汾香; pinyin
    Pinyin
    Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...

    : qīng xiāng or fēn xiāng): Delicate, dry, and light, with a delectable mellow and clean mouthfeel
    Mouthfeel
    Mouthfeel is a product's physical and chemical interaction in the mouth, an aspect of food rheology. It is a concept used in many areas related to the testing and evaluating of foodstuffs, such as wine-tasting and rheology. It is evaluated from initial perception on the palate, to first bite,...

    . The flavours of this distilled liquor is contributed primarily by ethyl acetate and ethyl lactate
    Ethyl lactate
    Ethyl lactate, also known as lactic acid ethyl ester, is a monobasic ester formed from lactic acid and ethanol, commonly used as a solvent. This compound is considered biodegradable and can be used as a water-rinsible degreaser. Ethyl lactate is found naturally in small quantities in a wide variety...

    . An example of this kind of liquor is Fen jiu (汾酒; pinyin: fén jiǔ) of Shanxi
    Shanxi
    ' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....

    .
  • Rice fragrance (米香; pinyin
    Pinyin
    Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...

    : mǐ xiāng): The character of this class of wine is exemplified by baijiu distilled from rice
    Rice baijiu
    Rice baijiu , also known as rice fragrance baijiu , is a variety of distilled beverage popular in China. Unlike other kinds of baijiu, it is distilled mainly from rice rather than from sorghum or other grains...

    , such as Tri-Flower Liquor (San Hua jiu, 三花酒) of Guilin
    Guilin
    Guilin is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of far southern China, sitting on the west bank of the Li River. Its name means "forest of Sweet Osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city...

    . This type of wine has long history and is made using Rhizopus
    Rhizopus
    Rhizopus is a genus of common saprobic fungi on plants and specialized parasites on animals. They are found on a wide variety of organic substrates, including "mature fruits and vegetables", faeces, jellies, syrups, leather, bread, peanuts and tobacco. Some Rhizopus species are opportunistic agents...

     spp.
    type starters ("Small starter"). It has a clean mouthfeel and is slightly aromatic aroma, dominated by ethyl lactate with lesser flavour contributions by ethyl acetate.
  • Honey fragrance (蜂香; pinyin
    Pinyin
    Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...

    : fēng xiāng): A class of distilled liquor with the fragrance of honey. Liquors of this class are subtle in flavour and sweet in taste.
  • Layered fragrance (兼香 or 復香; pinyin
    Pinyin
    Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...

    : jiān xiāng or fù xiāng): A class of distilled liquors that contain the characters of "Sauce", Heavy, and Light fragrance distilled liquors. As such, liquors of this class vary widely in their aroma, mouthfeel, and dryness. An example of this type of liquor is Xifeng Jiu (西凤酒; literally "Western Phoenix Liquor"), produced in Fengxiang (Phoenix Flying, 凤翔) County of Shaanxi
    Shaanxi
    ' is a province in the central part of Mainland China, and it includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River in addition to the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of this province...

    .

Unflavored

  • Fen jiu (汾酒; pinyin: fén jiǔ): this liquor dates back to the Northern and Southern Dynasties (550 AD). It is the original Chinese white liquor made from sorghum. Alcohol content by volume: 63–65%.
  • Erguotou (二锅头; pinyin: èrguōtóu; lit. "head of the second pot") is a strong, clear distilled liquor. It is often inexpensive, and thus particularly popular among blue-collar worker
    Blue-collar worker
    A blue-collar worker is a member of the working class who performs manual labor. Blue-collar work may involve skilled or unskilled, manufacturing, mining, construction, mechanical, maintenance, technical installation and many other types of physical work...

    s across northern
    North China
    thumb|250px|Northern [[People's Republic of China]] region.Northern China or North China is a geographical region of China. The heartland of North China is the North China Plain....

     and northeastern
    Northeast China
    Northeast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...

     China. It is probably the most commonly drunk baijiu in Beijing
    Beijing
    Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...

    , and is frequently associated with that city. Red Star (红星, hóng xīng) is a popular brand found in Beijing homes everywhere.
  • Maotai
    Maotai
    Maotai, or Moutai , is a Chinese liquor, or baijiu.It is produced in the town of Maotai , in the city of Renhuai, Guizhou province, Southwest China. It is believed that the town of Maotai possesses a unique climate and vegetation that contributes to the taste of the drink...

    (茅台; pinyin: Máotái, spelt Moutai on the bottle): this liquor has a production history of over 200 years, originally coming from the town of Maotai, Guizhou
    Guizhou
    ' is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the southwestern part of the country. Its provincial capital city is Guiyang.- History :...

    . It is made from wheat and sorghum with a unique distilling process that involves seven iterations of the brewing cycle. This liquor became known to the world after winning a gold medal at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, California
    San Francisco, California
    San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...

    . Mao Zedong
    Mao Zedong
    Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...

     served maotai
    Maotai
    Maotai, or Moutai , is a Chinese liquor, or baijiu.It is produced in the town of Maotai , in the city of Renhuai, Guizhou province, Southwest China. It is believed that the town of Maotai possesses a unique climate and vegetation that contributes to the taste of the drink...

     at state dinners during Richard Nixon
    Richard Nixon
    Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...

    's state visit to China, and Henry Kissinger
    Henry Kissinger
    Heinz Alfred "Henry" Kissinger is a German-born American academic, political scientist, diplomat, and businessman. He is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He served as National Security Advisor and later concurrently as Secretary of State in the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and...

     once remarked to Deng Xiaoping
    Deng Xiaoping
    Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese politician, statesman, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy...

     that "if we drink enough Maotai we can solve anything." Alcohol content by volume: 54–55%.
  • Gaoliang jiu
    Kaoliang
    Kaoliang jiu is a strong distilled liquor, made from fermented sorghum . It is made and sold in both mainland China and Taiwan, and also popular in Korea, where it is called goryangju...

    (高粱酒; pinyin: gāoliáng jiǔ): "Gaoliang", commonly written "Kaoliang", is the Chinese word for a specific type of sorghum
    Sorghum
    Sorghum is a genus of numerous species of grasses, one of which is raised for grain and many of which are used as fodder plants either cultivated or as part of pasture. The plants are cultivated in warmer climates worldwide. Species are native to tropical and subtropical regions of all continents...

    . The wine originates from Dazhigu (大直沽, located east of Tianjin
    Tianjin
    ' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...

    ), first appearing in the Ming Dynasty
    Ming Dynasty
    The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...

    . Nowadays, Taiwan
    Republic of China
    The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...

     is a large producer of Kaoliang
    Kaoliang
    Kaoliang jiu is a strong distilled liquor, made from fermented sorghum . It is made and sold in both mainland China and Taiwan, and also popular in Korea, where it is called goryangju...

    . Alcohol content by volume: 54–63%.

  • Daqu jiu (大麴酒; pinyin: dà qū jiǔ): Originally from Sichuan
    Sichuan
    ' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...

     with 300 years of history. This wine is made with sorghum and wheat and is fermented for a long time. Alcohol content by volume: 52%.
  • Shuang zheng jiu (雙蒸酒; pinyin: shuāng zhēng jiǔ; lit. "double distilled wine") and San zheng jiu (三蒸酒; sān zhēng jiǔ, lit. "triple distilled wine"): two varieties of rice wine from the area of Jiujiang
    Jiujiang
    Jiujiang , formerly transliterated Kiukiang, is a prefecture-level city located on the southern shores of the Yangtze River in northwest Jiangxi Province, China. It is the second-largest prefecture-level city in Jiangxi province, the largest one being Nanchang...

    , Jiangxi
    Jiangxi
    ' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...

    , made by distilling twice and three times respectively. Alcohol content by volume: 32% and 38–39% respectively.

  • Wuliangye (五粮液; pinyin: wǔ liáng yè) is a strong, aged distilled liquor produced in the city of Yibin
    Yibin
    -Administrative divisions:-Economy:The city's industry focuses on electronics, food products, and power generation. It also produces paper, silk, and leather products...

    , in southern Sichuan
    Sichuan
    ' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...

    . Its factory includes, on its grounds, a Liquor History Museum. Wuliangye uses five grains (sorghum, rice, glutinous rice, corn, wheat) as raw material, hence the name -- “five grain liquor”. The water which is using brew WuLiangYe is from the middle of Min River.
  • Jiugui (酒鬼; pinyin: jiǔ guǐ; lit. "drunkard" or "alcoholic"; also called Sot) is a clear distilled liquor made from spring water, sorghum, glutinous rice, and wheat. It is produced by the Hunan Jiugui Liquor Co., Ltd., in the town of Zhenwu, in Jishou
    Jishou
    Jishou is a county-level city and the seat of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in Hunan province of thePeople's Republic of China.-History:...

     county-level city
    County-level city
    A county-level city is a county-level administrative division of mainland China. County-level cities are usually governed by prefecture-level divisions, but a few are governed directly by province-level divisions....

    , Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture
    Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture
    Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture of the People's Republic of China. It is located in western Hunan province. Zhangjiajie and Sangzhi used to be parts of this autonomous prefecture. It consists of 1 city, Jishou, and 7 counties:Baojing, Fenghuang, Guzhang,...

    , in the western part of the Hunan
    Hunan
    ' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...

     province, and ranges from 38% to 54% alcohol by volume.

Flavored

  • Meiguilu jiu (玫瑰露酒; sold as Mei Kuei Lu Chiew; pinyin: méiguīlu jiǔ; lit. "rose essence liquor"): a variety of gaoliang jiu distilled with a special species of rose
    Rose
    A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...

     and crystal sugar
    Rock candy
    Rock candy is a type of confectionery mineral composed of relatively large sugar crystals. This candy is formed by allowing a supersaturated solution of sugar and water to crystallize onto a surface suitable for crystal nucleation, such as a string or stick...

    . Alcohol content by volume: 54–55%.
  • Guihua chen jiu (桂花陈酒) is a distilled liquor flavored with Sweet Osmanthus
    Sweet Osmanthus
    Osmanthus fragrans is a species of Osmanthus native to Asia, from the Himalaya east through southern China and to Taiwan and to southern Japan...

     flowers. Its alcohol content is 17-18%.
  • Wujiapi jiu (五加皮酒; sold as Wu Chia Pi Chiew; pinyin: wǔ jiā pí jiǔ): a variety of gaoliang jiu with a unique selection of Chinese herbal medicine (including Angelica sinensis
    Angelica sinensis
    Angelica sinensis, commonly known as "dong quai" or "female ginseng" is a herb from the family Apiaceae, indigenous to China.-Chinese:...

    ) added to the brew. Alcohol content by volume: 54–55%.
  • Yuk Bing Siu Zau (玉冰燒酒; Mandarin: yù bīng shāo jiǔ; less commonly known as 肉醪燒, Mandarin: ròu láo shāo): a Cantonese
    Cantonese cuisine
    Cantonese cuisine comes from Guangdong Province in southern China and is one of 8 superdivisions of Chinese cuisine. Its prominence outside China is due to the great numbers of early emigrants from Guangdong. Cantonese chefs are highly sought after throughout the country...

     rice liquor with over 100 years of history, made with steamed rice. After distillation, pork fat is stored with the liquor but removed before bottling. Its name probably derives from the brewing process: in Cantonese, yuk ("jade") is a homophone of "meat", and bing means "ice," which describes the appearance of the pork fat floating in the liquor. Cantonese rice wine breweries prospered in the Northern Song Dynasty
    Song Dynasty
    The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...

    , when the Foshan
    Foshan
    Foshan is a city in central Guangdong province in southern China. The prefectural area under the city's jurisdiction over an area of about 3,840 km² and a population of 5.4 million of which 1.1 million reside in the city proper ....

     area was exempted from alcohol tax. Alcohol content by volume: 30%.
  • Sanhua jiu (三花酒; pinyin: sānhuā jiǔ, lit. "three flowers liquor"):photo a rice liquor made in Guilin
    Guilin
    Guilin is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of far southern China, sitting on the west bank of the Li River. Its name means "forest of Sweet Osmanthus", owing to the large number of fragrant Sweet Osmanthus trees located in the city...

     with allegedly over a thousand year history. It is famous for the fragrant herbal addition, and the use of spring water from Mount Elephant in the region. Alcohol content by volume: 55–57%.

  • Zhuyeqing jiu (竹葉青酒; pinyin: zhúyè qīnq jiǔ, lit. "bamboo leaf green liquor"; also spelled Chu Yeh Ching):photo this sweet liquor, produced in Shanxi
    Shanxi
    ' is a province in Northern China. Its one-character abbreviation is "晋" , after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn Period....

    , is fen jiu brewed with a dozen or more selected Chinese herbal medicines. One of the ingredients is bamboo
    Bamboo
    Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....

     leaves, which gives the liquor a yellowish-green color and its name. Its alcohol content ranges between 38 and 46% by volume.
  • To Mei Chiew (荼薇酒; Mandarin: tú wéi jiǔ) is a Cantonese liquor produced in Xiaolan Town
    Xiaolan Town
    Xiaolan is a small town situated at the northwest periphery of the city of Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, China.The population of Xiaolan Town is of an estimation of 150,000 permanent residents and 100,000 temporary residents. The total area of the town is...

    , Zhongshan
    Zhongshan
    Zhongshan , also spelled Chungshan and historically known as Xiangshan or Siangshan, is a prefecture-level city in the south of the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province in southern China. Zhongshan, one of the few cities in China with an eponymous name, is named after Dr. Sun Yat-sen who was...

     prefecture-level city
    Prefecture-level city
    A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...

    , Guangdong
    Guangdong
    Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...

     province, from rice wine, with added to mei (荼薇) flowers and crystal sugar syrup. Aged for more than one year. 30% alcohol by volume.
  • Pi Lu Chiew (碧綠酒; pinyin: bì lǜ jiǔ; lit. "jade/emerald green liquor"):photo Of Wuhan
    Wuhan
    Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...

     origin, this liquor is infused with Chinese medicinal herbs and sugar.
  • Imperial Lotus White Chiew (御蓮白酒; pinyin: yà lián bái jiǔ; lit. "court lotus white liquor"): This is a variety of kaoliang jiu
    Kaoliang
    Kaoliang jiu is a strong distilled liquor, made from fermented sorghum . It is made and sold in both mainland China and Taiwan, and also popular in Korea, where it is called goryangju...

    (sorghum liquor), infused with twenty medicinal herbs. It was first produced for the Chinese royal family in 1790.
  • Chajiu (茶酒; pinyin: chá jiǔ, literally "tea liquor") is a product of fairly recent origin. It consists of gaoliang jiu flavored with tea
    Tea
    Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...

     leaves and hawthorn
    Crataegus
    Crataegus , commonly called hawthorn or thornapple, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the rose family, Rosaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia and North America. The name hawthorn was originally applied to the species native to northern Europe,...

     berries. It is usually a light reddish brown in color (similar to oolong tea
    Oolong
    Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea produced through a unique process including withering under the strong sun and oxidation before curling and twisting. Most oolong teas, especially those of fine quality, involve unique tea plant cultivars that are exclusively used for particular varieties...

    ), and varieties made with oolong, green
    Green tea
    Green tea is made solely from the leaves of Camellia sinensis that have undergone minimal oxidation during processing. Green tea originates from China and has become associated with many cultures throughout Asia. It has recently become more widespread in the West, where black tea is traditionally...

    , and black tea
    Black tea
    Black tea is a variety of tea that is more oxidized than the oolong, green, and white varieties.All four varieties are made from leaves of the shrub Camellia sinensis. Black tea is generally stronger in flavor and contains more caffeine than the less oxidized teas. Two principal varieties of the...

     are available. Chajiu is produced by several manufacturers, primarily in the Sichuan
    Sichuan
    ' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...

     province. Although the strength differs according to the brand and variety, chajiu ranges between 8% and 28% alcohol by volume.
  • Xifeng Jiu
    Xifeng jiu
    Xifeng jiu is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from barley and pea flavoured baijiu. It is produced in Shaanxi and Fengxiang, China....


See also

  • Chinese grape wine
  • Chinese wine
    Chinese wine
    Jiu is the Chinese word that refers to all alcoholic beverages. This word has often been mistranslated into English as "wine"; the meaning is closer to "alcoholic beverage" or "liquor"...

  • Er guo tou
  • Huangjiu
    Huangjiu
    Huangjiu is a type of Chinese beverage brewed directly from grains such as rice, millet, or wheat. Unlike baijiu, such liquors are not distilled, and contain less than 20% alcohol, due to the inhibition of fermentation by ethanol at that concentration...

  • Kaoliang
    Kaoliang
    Kaoliang jiu is a strong distilled liquor, made from fermented sorghum . It is made and sold in both mainland China and Taiwan, and also popular in Korea, where it is called goryangju...

  • Maotai
    Maotai
    Maotai, or Moutai , is a Chinese liquor, or baijiu.It is produced in the town of Maotai , in the city of Renhuai, Guizhou province, Southwest China. It is believed that the town of Maotai possesses a unique climate and vegetation that contributes to the taste of the drink...

  • Oghi (distilled beverage)
    Oghi (distilled beverage)
    Oghi is an Armenian spirit distilled from fruits or berries. Oghi, a clear fruit vodka, is also referred to as aragh, which is the generic Armenian word for vodka of all kinds...

  • Rice baijiu
    Rice baijiu
    Rice baijiu , also known as rice fragrance baijiu , is a variety of distilled beverage popular in China. Unlike other kinds of baijiu, it is distilled mainly from rice rather than from sorghum or other grains...

  • Soju
    Soju
    Soju is a distilled beverage native to Korea. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though often slightly sweeter due to sugars added in the manufacturing process, and more commonly consumed neat.Most brands of soju are made in South Korea...


External links

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